BOSTON – Public school officials voiced strong support Monday for a significant overhaul of Massachusetts’ school construction financing formula. The proposed changes aim to address the growing disparities in funding that disproportionately affect communities of color and Gateway Cities, which frequently enough serve predominantly working-class and lower-income families.

The funding Gap: A Critical Issue

Advocates and educators emphasized that current state funding mechanisms are inadequate to support the construction of new schools or the repair of aging buildings in these underserved communities. The consequences are stark, with students often attending schools that are in disrepair and lack the necessary space and resources for modern education.

Our facilities are in a dire need, and students in Boston have the misfortune of attending schools that are often crumbling and don’t have the space for the needs of education today.

Johnny McInnis, music teacher at Boston Public Schools and political director at the Boston Teachers Union

McInnis highlighted the urgent need for the renovation of Madison Park, a vocational school within the Boston Public Schools system, emphasizing the importance of state support in rebuilding this crucial institution.

Legislative Efforts: H 526 / S 318

The Joint committee on Education is considering legislation (H 526 / S 318), championed by Rep. Daniel Cahill and Sen. Brendan Crighton, that seeks to inject more funding into the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA). Key provisions of the bill include:

• Increasing the amount of sales tax revenue allocated to the School Modernization and Reconstruction Trust Fund.
• allowing school districts with a disproportionate need for school building renovations or replacements to allocate up to 1% of their Chapter 70 aid for these expenses.
• Removing the 80% reimbursement cap for school building projects.

Boston’s Unique Challenges

Sen. Jason Lewis, co-chair of the committee, acknowledged the unique challenges faced by Boston Public Schools due to it’s size and the sheer number of buildings in need of renovation. He suggested the need for a dedicated plan and partnership with the MSBA, drawing parallels to Baltimore’s approach to addressing similar issues.

The challenge obviously with Boston is it’s so much larger than any other district, and there’s so manny school buildings that are in need of renovation. Seems to me we need to come up with a dedicated plan and partnership with the MSBA.

Sen. Jason Lewis, Co-chair of the Joint Committee on Education

Lewis also recognized that other districts, including Worcester, Springfield, and Lynn, face similar challenges related to aging infrastructure.

Lynn’s Perspective: A Gateway City’s Struggle

Sen. Brendan Crighton, representing Lynn, emphasized the urgency of the situation, noting that the city has more than 13 schools that are over a century old. Mayor Jared Nicholson highlighted the city’s limited progress in building new schools, with only one new school constructed in the past 25 years.

But without reform, we’re going to have to go another generation to be able to afford to build another school under the current system that we have.

Mayor Jared Nicholson, Lynn

Nicholson also pointed out the financial strain caused by rising construction costs and the limitations of the current reimbursement formula, which disproportionately affect municipalities.